Woman texted friend for help before being raped by swimmer, court told

A Commonwealth Games swimmer raped a woman after she had sex with his friend who was another top athlete, a court has heard.

Otto Putland, 24, who represented Wales at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, denies one charge of forcing himself on the woman after she had consensual intercourse with Olympic swimmer Ieuan Lloyd.

On Wednesday at Cardiff Crown Court, Janet McDonald, for the prosecution, told the jury the incident was alleged to have taken place at Lloyd's home in Cardiff, following a night out in July 2015.

Ms McDonald said it was the Crown's case that Putland had "no respect" for the woman.

"Because his friend had had sex, it was OK for him to do so too," she said.

"He was a man fuelled by drink who took what he wanted."

Ms McDonald said Lloyd and Putland went to a nightclub in the city where Lloyd met the woman and later left with her, taking her to his home where they had sex.

Jurors heard the woman would say Lloyd got up and left the room and she heard him talking to Putland outside the door.

Ms McDonald said: "The complainant could not hear all of their conversation that took place at the door but she did hear words to the effect of 'is that the girl?'.

"The defendant then came to the bedroom, sat on the bed, took off his socks... The complainant was concerned.

"She texted her friend asking for help, fearing that something was about to happen."

Ms McDonald said the friend was asleep and that Putland started kissing the woman, who asked him what he was doing and said: "You can't pass me around."

Putland took his boxers off and the woman put her hands between her legs to cover her genitals, the court heard.

Ms McDonald said: "She turned away from him.

"She told him she didn't want sex, she was crying and she said 'you can't pass me around'.

"She made it clear that she did not want sex."

The court heard Putland started having sex with the woman but stopped when she said she needed to use the bathroom.

Ms McDonald said the woman called her friend from the bathroom, saying she needed to leave and the next thing she remembered was hearing her phone ring and being back in the bed with Putland inside her again.

Jurors were told that incident had originally been charged as a second count of rape but that another jury had found Putland not guilty of that offence.

Ms McDonald said some of the woman's friends went to the house after receiving messages and calls from her asking for help.

She said one of the woman's friends went into the hallway and saw a naked man at the top of the stairs, Lloyd, and the complainant behind him who was crying.

The court heard the woman and her friends left in a taxi and despite seeing a forensic doctor two days later the woman did not report the matter to police until November 2016, initially saying she did not want to because she did not want her mother to know what had happened.

Ms McDonald said: "It was clear in the circumstances to her she could not turn to Ieuan Lloyd for help.

"He passed her on to his friend as if she were chattel."

The court heard Putland was interviewed by police and had difficulty remembering the events, which had taken place more than a year before, saying it was just another night.

Ms McDonald said: "He did remember (the woman) and having what he said was consensual sex with her.

"He agreed it was after she had sex with Ieuan Lloyd... He recalls he noticed she was upset about something (saying) 'I feel I have been passed around, I don't really want to be here'."

Putland, of Dinedor, near Hereford, told the officers he walked the girl to the door straight away and she left.

He denies one count of rape.

The trial continues.